Open Access

Studies on Vickers induced subcritical crack growth are controversially discussed since the stresses that drive the crack growth are distributed three dimensionally within the material and cannot be retraced by available methods. Hence, empirical approaches are used to calculate mechanical material parameters such as the stress intensity factor KI. However, the results of these approaches show large deviations from those measured by standardized techniques such as double cantilever beam (DCB) or double cleavage drilled compression (DCDC). Yet, small specimen sizes and low specimen quantities can prevent the execution of DCB and DCDC measurements. Here we present an approach that is based on a statistical analysis of Vickers induced radial cracks. For this purpose more than 150 single radial cracks were analyzed. The cracks were generated in a commercial soda-lime silicate glass. The experiments were performed in a glovebox purged with dry nitrogen gas to minimize the influence ofStudies on Vickers induced subcritical crack growth are controversially discussed since the stresses that drive the crack growth are distributed three dimensionally within the material and cannot be retraced by available methods. Hence, empirical approaches are used to calculate mechanical material parameters such as the stress intensity factor KI. However, the results of these approaches show large deviations from those measured by standardized techniques such as double cantilever beam (DCB) or double cleavage drilled compression (DCDC). Yet, small specimen sizes and low specimen quantities can prevent the execution of DCB and DCDC measurements. Here we present an approach that is based on a statistical analysis of Vickers induced radial cracks. For this purpose more than 150 single radial cracks were analyzed. The cracks were generated in a commercial soda-lime silicate glass. The experiments were performed in a glovebox purged with dry nitrogen gas to minimize the influence of atmospheric water on crack growth. The temporally resolved evolution of the radial cracks was monitored in-situ using an inverted microscope equipped with a camera system directly below the Vickers indenter. An automated image analysis software was used to determine the crack length over time. The data show that the crack propagation and thereby the crack velocities are not uniformly but statistically distributed. These findings allow, using the statistical mean value of the distributions in combination with DCB data, a precise formulation of KI for each measured crack length.…